In Brief
Chaman Lal purchased land in 1949 and gifted it (via a deed executed in 1958) to his stepmother, Gurdev Kaur. The dispute concerned whether the entire land or only half was gifted. The trial court and first appellate court found only half was gifted and ordered partition. The High Court reversed this, relying on an authenticated translation of the original Urdu gift deed, which clearly conveyed the entire land. The Supreme Court dismissed Chaman Lal's appeal, holding that where a document of title is central to the dispute, the High Court may obtain a proper translation to ensure accurate legal interpretation. The plain language of the gift deed, coupled with the donee's undisputed possession and the conduct of parties over 17 years, confirmed that the entire land was gifted.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.